Every year 1.6 million people die from tuberculosis (TB)—more than malaria and HIV combined—making TB the world’s deadliest infectious disease. More than 10 million cases were identified in 2017 alone. UCSF doctors and scientists have been battling this deadly, yet curable, disease for more than 140 years. Today, UCSF addresses TB on many fronts, in California and around the world.
Initiatives
UN Special Envoy on Tuberculosis
Appointed Special Envoy on TB by UN General Secretary Ban Ki Moon in January 2015, Dr. Eric Goosby, professor of medicine at the UCSF Institute for Global Health Sciences, works to catalyze global efforts to end TB by 2030. He meets with leaders of high-burden countries to strengthen commitments to advance prevention and treatment of TB. He advocates for increased international resources for research on and treatment of TB, especially multi-drug resistant TB. Using his high-profile position as UN Special Envoy, Goosby is dedicated to raising awareness of TB in forums around the world.
UCSF Center for Tuberculosis
The University of California, San Francisco Center for Tuberculosis (CTB) brings expertise across a range of disciplines to solve the problems that have historically undermined global TB elimination efforts. UCSF CTB has world class experts spanning bench to clinical sciences, global health delivery, economics and diplomacy. Led by Payam Nahid, MD, MPH, our Center's mission aligns with that of the University of California in advancing health worldwide. The UCSF Center fore TB faculty, fellows and staff are dedicated to improving the care of TB patients worldwide through biomedical research, education in the life sciences and health provessions, technical assistance and training, clinical consultation, advocacy, diplomacy and excellence in patient care.
UC Tuberculosis Research Advancement Centers (UCTRAC)
The Tuberculosis Research Advancement Center (UCTRAC) is a joint project of UCSF and the University of California, Berkeley. UCTRAC provides research resources and infrastructure to foster, elevate and support TB research and provide exceptional mentorship and training to new investigators, and established investigators who are new to TB. UTRAC’s Administrative, Developmental, Clinical, and Basic Science Cores offer operations, facilities, services, resources, pilot awards, and mentoring opportunities to achieve these goals. UTRAC is funded by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases.
Curry International Tuberculosis Center
The Curry Center, co-founded in 1994 by Dr. Philip C. Hopewell, creates, enhances and disseminates state-of-the-art resources and models of excellence and performs research to control and eliminate tuberculosis in the United States and internationally. Hopewell and his colleagues have been instrumental in developing international standards for treatment of tuberculosis.
California Department of Public Health
IGHS works with the California Department of Public Health to prevent and control tuberculosis in the state. We are conducting a research study about how to reduce the risk of bringing TB into California at border crossings. We helped develop a five-year action plan for eliminating TB in California by 2040, and we provide expert advice to clinicians and local departments of public health when they encounter people with active TB in their populations.
Lancet Commission on Tuberculosis
The Lancet Commission on Tuberculosis, co-chaired by Dr. Eric Goosby, aims to identify decisive global and country-specific actions necessary to achieve the Sustainable Development Goal of ending the TB epidemic by 2030. The Commission is working to issue recommendations on how to defeat the disease by focusing on four areas for action.
UCSF Department of Medicine Pulmonary Program
The Pulmonary, Critical Care, Allergy and Sleep Medicine Program in the UCSF Department of Medicine has extensive expertise in basic, clinical, and applied research on tuberculosis. Their integrated approach allows them to develop evidence in support of programmatic interventions and changes in global health policy. They provide laboratory consultation, training and capacity building for molecular epidemiologic-based research and have ongoing collaborations all over the world.
